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The number of people cycling along some key routes in Swansea has tripled, new Swansea Council figures have shown.

The news follows the announcement that work on cycle routes around Swansea has resumed after coronavirus restrictions put a halt to it.

According to Swansea Council, it has developed safe working methods with its contractors following government advice.

From the start of lockdown restrictions at the end of March, cycling, along with running and walking, has been one of three exercise types allowed.

The roads have also been quieter, thanks to people being told to only use their vehicles for essential travel

Swansea Council said this had seen a rise in the number of people taking to two wheels.

Recently South Wales Police said they had upped patrols on Swansea promenade because there had been such a large increase in the number of people on bikes there, and there were concerns for the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.

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Electronic cycle counters installed along sections of cycle routes at Swansea Bay foreshore, Blackpill, Gowerton, Morfa and across the Tawe Sail Bridge have all recorded sharp increases in cyclists travelling the routes during April compared to figures recorded in March.

At Blackpill, during afternoon periods, cyclist numbers have gone from 50 to around 140 per hour and at Morfa, the figure has tripled from 10 per hour to 30.

The shocking moment a road rage driver steered his car into a cyclist for not using a cycle path:

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Mark Thomas, cabinet member for environment and infrastructure management said it was "reassuring" that people were making use of cycle routes despite the circumstances."

The council approved the spending of £2.7million of Welsh Government Active Travel funding to create new cycling and walking routes in parts of the city.

Work has recommenced on the cycle route along Gors Avenue, between Cockett Road and Carmarthen Road.

The Kingsbridge link between Gorseinon and Gowerton, which will provide an off-road shared use path for cyclists and walkers, is also due to be finished as work starts again this week (week of May 18).

Work will restart next week on the A48 shared use path which stretches from the M4 near the DVLA headquarters and travels for 3.9km to Penllergaer in the west.

Work will resume next week on the A48 shared route (Image: WalesOnline/ Gayle Marsh)

Gors Avenue, Swansea, where another cycling route is being created (Image: WalesOnline/ Gayle Marsh)

Councillor Thomas said workers would be able to continue developing the cycle routes in a "safe way" as the pandemic continued.

He added: "Much of the work was completed before the coronavirus outbreak and relates to our ongoing Active Travel work - creating new cycle and walking infrastructure.

"The new routes, once completed will provide much more opportunity for residents to choose alternate ways to commute or for children to walk to school along a car-free route."

"It will also give locals the opportunity to exercise within their community."

Works have also been completed across Loughor Bridge to widen the route, creating a shared use path for cyclists and walkers.